First Sail4Southcoast fundraising event raises over $3,000 for cancer center

Wednesday

Jul 31, 2013 at 10:50 AM

DARTMOUTH — A gentle evening breeze set the stage on July 16 at the New Bedford Yacht Club (NBYC) for the first "Sail4Southcoast" fundraising event planned by the Chairman of the Southcoast Hospitals Business Council Stephen Mitchell. The council is made up of 25 local business owners and professionals from the South Coast whose mission is to serve as advocates for the hospital system in the community by raising funds and awareness for hospitals programs and initiatives.

DARTMOUTH — A gentle evening breeze set the stage on July 16 at the New Bedford Yacht Club (NBYC) for the first "Sail4Southcoast" fundraising event planned by the Chairman of the Southcoast Hospitals Business Council Stephen Mitchell. The council is made up of 25 local business owners and professionals from the South Coast whose mission is to serve as advocates for the hospital system in the community by raising funds and awareness for hospitals programs and initiatives.

"In this case I brought my passion for racing sailboats together with raising money for a great cause like the Cancer Center. This money raised at this year's event is in honor of Dartmouth sailing friend who is currently undergoing treatment at the Southcoast Health Systems Center for Cancer Care," Mr. Mitchell explained.

Mr. Mitchell arranged for two J29 sailboats — Seefest and No Mas — to take part in the charity race. Approximately 30 experienced and inexperienced sailors met at 5 p.m. and boarded one of the J29's, sailing from the end of the Yacht Club dock to begin the race off the breakwater outside Padanaram Harbor.

New Bedford Yacht Club member Ira Perry skippered Seefest, and Ryan Walsh captained No Mas... each brought a five-member adult crew along to help. The boats competed for the first Sail4Southcoast Cup.

Some Cancer Care donors had never been on a boat, and never raced; during this charity race, inexperienced sailors could learn to trim the sails and grind the winch alongside professional sailors.

The event offered another option for joining in on the fun evening. NBYC member Tom Selldorff offered his private yacht Kinship to serve as the race committee boat and spectator yacht. Any donor not interested in racing could bring a camera, enjoy the scenery, or watch the action on the water from Kinship.

Sail4Southcoast also included an after-party, which began in Padanaram Village at the Black Bass at 7:30 p.m. and continued on at the Sail Loft at 8:30 p.m.. At the two restaurants, sailors could participate in a silent auction and raffle for prizes that included the Red Sox tickets and golf packages; Always Ready to Serve restoration specialists graciously sponsored the sailor style after-party.

"We have all been impacted by the devastating effects of cancer among our family and friends, including great sailing friends, and I'm happy to bring awareness through sailing to our community about the wonderful Cancer Care Center that Southcoast Hospitals offers right here in our community to fight this terrible disease," Mr Mitchell remarked.

"We raised over $3,000 dollars, and everyone wants to come again next year and make the race a bigger event," he added.